Time, that there was some type of inside control. It is almost a truism. Having said that, it seems to me that the leak that the Justice Department is looking for is right here in front of us, and you disagree with that . I des agree with you vehemently senator, and i have talked to the department of justice. I conducted interviews with them and, you know, i am a witness in that as many other people are. And as you know, there are witness and subject and target. Im not a subject, im not a target, i am a witness. Because i want to make sure whoever leaked this information that got out to the press and that seriously did disrupt some very sensitive operational equities on the part of some of our International Partners, that never should have happened. And youre in agreement with that, that this was a serious flaw in what should have happened, is that correct . Its a serious flaw that it got out to the press bafer before that operation was concluded, absolutely. And my discussion with those individuals that night, it already was out in the press. You would agree with me that on the day that we get mr. Siri its going to be either a very, very good day or if he gets us first, its going to be a very, very bad day for the American People and particularly for anyone who was involved in a leak concerning him. Senator, i live this every day and night. I understand. I go to bed at night worrying i didnt do enough that day to make sure i protect the American People. So when mr. Siri is brought to justice it will be because of the work thats been done over the past number of years by some brave americans in cia and other places. Believe me, i am focused as a laysier on the issue of the ied threat. My name is up, thank you, madam chairman. Thank you. Before you start, senator, a vote is due to start at 4 00. Its five after 4 00. Senator chambliss went to vote. As soon as he returned, i will go. We will just keep this going so members be guided by that. This is my wonderful, beautiful wife kathy who has been my spouse for 34 years and my partner in my work, and my brother thomas also is hear from new jersey. We would like to welcome you and we know that not only will you serve but your entire family has served and will continue to srve and im going to echo the remarks of my colleague senator warner thanking the people of the Central Intelligence agency for what they do every day in every way working often in a way that is not known, not recognized and, quite frankly, not always appreciated. Top human spy agency to make sure we have no strategic surprises. That it has become more and more executing paramilitary operations, and i discussed this with you in our conversation. How do you see this . I see this as mission creep. I see this as overriding the original mission of the cia for which youre so wellversed, and more a function of the special operations command. Could you share with me how you see the cia and what you think about this militarization of the cia thats going on . Thank you, senator. You might disagree with me. I welcome your disagreement if you do so. Senator, the principle mission of the agency is to collect intelligence, uncover those secrets as you say to prevent those strategic surprises, and to be the best analytic component within the u. S. Government to do the analysis the cia has done so well for many, many years. At times the president asked and directs the cia to do covert action. That can take any number of forms to include paramilitary. As we have discussed here today on the counterterrorism front, there are things that the agency has been involved in since 9 11 that, in fact, have been a bit of an aberration from its traditional roam. One of the things i would do if i would go back to the agency is take a look at the allocation of mission within cia. The resources dedicated to this. And as we had the discussion when i paid my Courtesy Call, i am concerned that looking at the world, which is a very big place, we need to make sure we have the best intelligence collection capabilities possible and the best analytic capabilities possible and the cia shuz not be doing traditional military activities and operations. I appreciate that and look forward to working with you on this to really identify which is appropriately cia and dod. Which then takes me to the issue of cyber threat. Both secretary panetta, general dempsey, and in the current role at the white house have talked about the cyber threat. You were a big help in trying to help us get this cyber legislation passed. Now, tell us what you think is the role of the cia in dealing with the cyber threat but in the area of human intelligence or i mean with the cia. You have a unique insight into it. You know what nsa does. You know what Homeland Security is supposed to do. Tell us where you see the cia in this. Well, first of all, the cyber threat this country faces is one of the most insidious to our National Security and one that i think our government as a whole and this body, the congress, really needs to be focused on and do Everything Possible to prevent a devastating attack against this country because of the vulnerabilities in the cyber front. Cias Traditional Mission on the collection front is to try to determine the plans and intentions of foreign governments, foreign groups, National Groups, and others. Learning about those plans and intentions and the development of capabilities in the cyber world is something that cia i think is best placed to do so that we have an understanding of what Foreign Countries are doing, what organized criminal organizations are doing, what National Groups are doing and the nature of the threat to us. Then, in addition, the analysts at cia can take that information working with the rest of the community to make sure the policymakers have pa good sense of the nature of the threat and the potential mitigation strategies and then working with nsa, department of Homeland Security and others, put together that structure thats going to make this country resistant and resilient to those attacks. Well, mr. Brennan, i really look forward to working with you on this because this cuts across all the agencies, the fbi those that have responsibility for work outside of this country, inside this country, and yet we all have to be doing what were using the marine corps saying doing what were best at and what the were most needed for. I consider this one of the greatest threats and one of the greatest vulnerabilities because we failed to pass the legislation ourselves. We cant stop what foreign predators want to do. We can divert, identify, and attack, but we are making ourselves vulnerable. Now, i want to get to the job of the cia director. Im going to be blunt and this will be no surprise to you, sir. But i have been on this committee for more than ten years, and with the exception of mr. Panetta, i feel i have been jerked around by every cia director. I have either been misled, misrepresented, to tell us had weapons of mass destruction in iraq, to porter goss. We know the problems weve had with torture, the chair has spoken eloquently about it all the way and, quite frankly, during those questions they were evaded. They were distorted, et cetera. So my question to you is knowing your background, knowing your jesuit education, knowing what i think your values are, can i have your word that youre going to be very forthcoming with this committee to speak truth to power, to speak truth about power and even when its uncomfortable or where were going to have to probe in a way thats not an easy way to go . Honesty, truthfulness was a value that was inculcated in me in my home in new jersey by my parents. It still is to this day. Honesty is the best policy. None of us are perfect aboutings. Im far from perfect, but, senator, i would commit i would be honest with this committee and do Everything Possible to meet your legitimate needs and requirements. As i think i have told you before. I know you are a proud senator of one of the jewels in the intelligence committee, nsa, which resides in maryland, but it would be my objective to make cia your favorite Intelligence Agency and push Keith Alexander aside. Well, i think youre pushing him out of the way already. Thank you very much. Madam chair, im finished. Thank you very much. Senator levin. Thank you. Thank you for your willingness to serve here, mr. Brennan. You have said publicly that you believe waterboarding is inconsistent with american values. Its something that should be prohibited, goes beyond the bounds of what a Civilized Society should employ. My question is this, in your opinion does waterboarding constitute torture . The attorney general has referred to waterboarding as torture. Many people have referred to as torture. Attorney general is the premiere Law Enforcement officer and lawyer of this country. As you well know and as we have had the discussion, senator, the term torture has a lot of legal and political implications. It is something that should have been banned long ago. It never should have taken place in my view. And, therefore, if i were to go to cia, it would never, in fact, be brought back. Do you have a personal opinion as to whether waterboarding is torture . I have a personal opinion that waterboarding is reprehensible and is something that should not be done. Im not a lawyer and i cant address that question. Well, you have heard opinions as to whether or not waterboarding is torture. Do you accept those opinions . Thats my question. Senator, i have read a lot of legal opinions. I read an office of Legal Counsel that said waterboarding could be used. I cant point to a single legal document on this issue. As far as im concerned waterboarding is something that never should have been employed and as far as im concerned never will be if i have anything to do with it. A waterboarding banned by the geneva conventions. I believe the attorney general also has said that its contrary and in contravention of the geneva convention. Im not a lawyer or legal scholar. Mr. Rodriguez, the former cia Deputy Director for operations was asked about his personal, moral, orb ethical perspective on these enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding. He said that he knew these are his words. I know many of these procedures were applied to our own servicemen, tens of thousands of u. S. Soldiers had gone through this, close quote. Now, as we investigated at Senate Armed Services committee in our 2008 report, these socalled Survival Evasion Resistance or s. E. A. R. Techniques were used to train members of our military. They were never intended to be used by u. S. Interrogators. These techniques were based on chinese and communist techniques used during the korean war. They were developed to expose them for a few moments to these techniques was meant to help them survive in the event they were captured, in the event they were subjected to these techniques. My question to you is this. Is there any come comparability to a friendly trainer exposing our troops to waterboarding for a few moments, is there any comparability to using these techniques on an enemy in an effort to extract intelligence . Theyre for completely different purposes and intentions. I do not see any comparability there. Now, the chairman and i issued a report on or made a statement on april 27th, 2012. This also began with the statement of mr. Rodriguez. Here is what he said. Information provided by cia detainees, Khalid Sheikh mohammed about bin ladens courier being the lead information that eventually led to the location of bin ladens compound and the operation that led to his death. Thats what rodriguez said. We said that statement is wrong. The original lead information had no connection to cia deta detaine detainees. The cia had significant intelligence on the kocourier. The pair provided falts and misleading information during their time in cia custody. Now, my question to you is, are you aware of any intelligence information that supports mr. Rodriguezs claim that the lead information on the courier came from ksm and al libi. I am unaware of any. Next, michael hayden, former cia director said that, quote, what we got, the original lead information, began with information from cia detainees at black sites. Chairman the chairman and i issued in the same statement the following, that the statement of the former attorney general, michael mukasey, was wrong. Do you have any information to disagree with our statement . I do not. A third statement that we quoted in our report. Michael hayden, former cia director. We got the original lead information began with excuse me. That was mr. Hayden i was asking you about. Not mr. Mukasey. Your answer is the same i assume. Im unaware. You dont have any information to the contrary . Right. Now, michael mukasey, former attorney general, the wall street journal, consider how the intelligence that led to bin laden came to hand, it began with a disclosure from Khalid Sheikh mohammed who broke like a dam under pressure of harsh interrogation techniques that included waterboarding. He loosed a torrent of information including eventually the name of a trusted courier of bin laden. Our statement, that of the chairman and myself, is that that statement is wrong. Do you have any information to the contrary . Senator, my impression earlier on was that there was information that was provided, that was useful and valuable, but as i have said i have read the first voul of your report which raises questions about whether any of that information is accurate. Im referring to the statement that chairman feinstein and i issued. We flat out say that those statements are wrong. Do you have any basis to disagree with us . I do not. Will you when you become cia director assuming youre confirmed take the statement we have issued and tell us whether or not you disagree with any of the statements that we have made about those statements of those three men . Will do you that if youre confirmed . I will look and consider that request, senator. As i said, the report that this committee has put together, i need to take a look at what cias response is. That report raises serious questions about whether any worthwhile intelligence came from these individuals. Will you include in your review a review of our joint statement and tell us whether after your review you disagree with anything weve said . Will do you that . I will be happy to. Now, theres one final point, and that has to do with a very famous document. My time is not yet quite up. That has to do with a cable that came in that relates to the socalled atta matter. Are you familiar with that issue . Yes, i am. The issue is whether or not there ever was a meeting in prague between mohamed atta, one of the people who attacked the trade center, and the iraqi intelligence. The cable that came in has been classified by the cia even though the report of the and this is what the cia did to the cable. Now, will you check with the checks, with the source of this cable, and see if they have any objection to the release of this cable relative to the report of that meeting . Yes, senator. Since our Courtesy Call i have looked into this issue. Know you and director petraeus who were involved in a discussion on this and i would be happy to follow up on it, but there does seem to be some concerns about release of that cable. Well, the report of the cia, by the way excuse me, the unclassified report of the intelligence committee, which was not classified, was not redacted by the cia, made at least four references to the Czech Intelligence Service providing the cia with reporting based on a Single Source about this alleged meeting which never took place. We knew it never took place, and yet repeatedly, particularly the Vice President , made reference to there was a report of a meeting between these two. Now, its very significant for the historical record here. We went to war based on allegations that there was a relationship between iraq and the attackers, the 9 11 attackers. Its very important that this cable be declassified. The only reason to keep it redacted and classified, frankly, is to protect an administration. Not to protect sources and methods. Because the sources and methods if you will check with the czechs im sure will tell you they have no objection to the release of that cable. My question to you is will you check with the czechs if youre confirmed and determine whether they have any objection to the release of the cable which makes reference to them . Absolutely, senator, i will. Thank you. My time is up. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Brennan, we acknowledge your experience, and i think that experience is important to have for the position that if confirmed you will occupy. I acknowledge your service to the country and your experience in this field. I think the president used that as one of the criteria, of course. You and i when we talked earlier in a private talk talked about the relationship that you want to have with this committee. Not just with the chairman and the vice chairman but with all the committee members. And i appreciate your answers on that, and you addressed it again today in terms of potential trust deficit or you said that thats wholly unacceptable. You would give straight answers and be blunt and candid. And youve been that today. Its not a prerequisite to be mr. Con jean yalt to ageniality. The kind of issues you have to deal with require straight talk, straight answers, and getting to the chase real quick. You said its the new jersey way. Ill accept that. Its bipartisan. Governor christie exhibits the same kind of responses and has a pretty high approval rating. So we will go forward with taking you at your word and well have the kind of relationship that we can have a blunt, straightforward, fully disclosed working relationship. I think its critical to our ability to provide oversight, our ability to have the right kind of relationship with the agency so we know where each other is and can move Forward Together in terms of what